Above is advertisement only and is not necessarily endorsed by this site's webmaster.
Who are Byzantine Catholics & What Do We Believe?
Who are Byzantine Catholics?
There are several rites that make up the Eastern Catholic Church. Byzantine Catholics are just one of these rites.
Byzantine Catholics share Communion with Rome; our Patriarch is Benedict XVI. There are other rites within the Eastern Catholic Church whose Patriarch is not Pope Benedict XVI. Their Patriarch and Pope Benedict XVI are in full communion.
Our Celebration and Expression of our Faith is very similar to Worship in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, whom we Share Patrimony with.
Visit From East to West -- has EWTN's Eastern Catholic Q & A Forum, & Frequently Asked Questions about Eastern Catholics Click Here to Visit From East to West
The top bar is a piece of wood on which was inscribed, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". Pontius Pilate ordered this to be hung above his head to mock our Lord.
The middle bar is, of course, where Christ's wrists were nailed.
The bar at the bottom that is slanted is the footrest. It represents the destiny of the souls of the two thieves crucified with Christ. One thief was repentant for his wrong doing and recognized Christ as God the Son. The other was prideful, not repentant, and was blasphemous in his words to Christ. One side of the bar points up, denoting paradise. The other points down, denoting otherwise.
The Nicene creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, the only-begotten, born of the Father before all ages. Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became man. He was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And He rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. And He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, and of His kingdom there will be no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke through the Prophets. And in one holy, catholic, and apostolic church. I profess one baptism for the remission of sins. I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Why do we Place Lit Candles in Front of Icons?
Our faith is a light that burns within us. Christ said, "I am the light of the world." The light of a candle or vigil lamp reminds us of that light by which Christ illumines our soul.
In order to remind us of the radiant character of the saint that is represented by the icon, because saints are called children of light. (John 12:36; Luke 16:8)
To remind ourselves that our prayers will rise, like the candle's heat and smoke, to God.
Evil loves darkness and trembles at light. Evil is especially afraid of light which belongs to God and to those who reflect His light.
Before God created anything else, he created light. "God said, 'Let there be light; and there was light.'" (Genesis 1:3)
Easter Egg -- American Tradition or Orthodox Tradition?
As Byzantine Catholics we share many traditions with the Orthodox churches. The following is just one example:
The Easter egg is more spiritual than you may think. You might be surprised to learn that eggs are a widespread Paschal symbol. Tradition tells us that at the time of our Lord's resurrection, the emperor, Tiberius, had summoned Mary Magdalene to him. When she approached Tiberius, she proclaimed, "Christ is Risen!", and handed him an egg. He then told Mary Magdalene that he did not believe her, and that if she were telling the truth, the egg in his hand should turn red. Before Tiberius could finish expressing this thought, the egg turned red in his hand. The Easter eggs are customarily dyed red, not only because of the story of Mary Magdalene & Tiberius, but to symbolize our Savior's blood shed for us.
